Nat shook her head, mouth pursed.“This ismyfault andmyjob.I don’t want to worry about anyone else in harm’s way.”She gave him an uncharacteristically stern look.“That includes you.No hiding in my trunk or following me to the pier.I’m not taking any chances with my brother’s life.Or yours.”
Without dropping her gaze, he said, “Jason.You have anyone available to support on overwatch?”
“On it.”Jason stepped away and started tapping on his phone.
Nat opened her mouth and Ford cut her off.“I’ll make sure they understand the assignment.I will not put you at further risk, but I’ll be damned if I let you go in there without backup.”
She blinked and rolled her lips between her teeth.“Okay.Good.”
“Hang on.”Emma walked away.
Ford turned and pulled Nat into his embrace.“I fucking hate this, but I’m not going to try to stop you.”
“Thank you.”She gripped him so hard he almost couldn’t breathe.
He closed his eyes and gave himself a few seconds to savor the feel of her in his arms.“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
Leaning back, he held her sweet face and kissed her hard.“You fucking come back to me.”
A tear slipped down her cheek.“That’s the plan,” she said with forced levity.
He gave her the smile he knew she wanted, but his heart thrashed in protest like a caged beast.
Emma returned and held out her palm to show them what looked like an oversized jellybean.“Take this tracker.”
In two minutes they cobbled together a very loose plan, mainly consisting of the tracking device and the last-minute enlistment of a half-dozen of Steele’s security specialists who were available to join Ford, Jason, and Emma in providing backup.
Ford hated it.There were too many variables.Too many things that could go wrong.Not enough time to prepare for contingencies.Even if the plan had somehow been airtight though, the worst part was Natalie smack dab in the middle of it, all by herself.
Just as the kidnapper had demanded.
These men had deep pockets and no scruples.And they’d had plenty of time to set things up to their advantage.Ford didn’t want her anywhere near them.He also had no choice in the matter.
Standing at the door, tears streamed down her cheeks.“If I don’t go now and something happens to Erik, I’ll never forgive myself.”She held his gaze, determination in her eyes.“I know you understand that.”
The hell of it was, he did.In her shoes, he’d be rushing off right now too.
“Fuck.”He kissed her hard and much too fast, and then…let her walk out the door alone, taking his heart with her.
CHAPTER TWENTY
NATALIE FOLLOWED THE road that led to the Pier’s underground parking entrance.Leaving Ford behind had been like tearing off a limb, and her forthcoming rendezvous with a killer wasn’t exactly a pleasant distraction from her heartache.Or her chances of making it back alive.
She wasn’t fool enough to think otherwise, even if she often played the ditz.
Traffic on the 405 had been relatively light on the way to Redondo Beach.Thank you, Sunday.Natalie made it to the South Bay and the pier-side parking garage with five minutes to spare.
After parking, she took a deep breath in an attempt to calm her nerves.When that didn’t work, she slid the tracking bean from her pocket and tongued it into the space between her back gums and her cheek.She tried to pretend she was sucking on a lozenge and simply had to move it out of the way to talk.Unfortunately, its taste was less honey-lemon and more bicycle tire.
Worth it to give her friends the heads up on her location if things went wrong, though.
Apparently, a twin of the little device had saved Jason’s hide recently, and he’d urged Emma to keep one in her pocket or purse at all times in case she sensed trouble.Jason’s totally valid paranoia now benefited Nat.
Heart racing, she locked her car and ran out of the dimly lit garage, a little disoriented.The bark of sea lions echoed off the dark jetty and the walls of the inner harbor.Ocean waves crashed on rocks just below her, and from somewhere nearby, the clang of a buoy carried on the cool, briny breeze.Across the water from where she stood, metal sails adorned the Redondo Pier, creating a popular photo op when the golden light filtered through them at sunset.With the sun nearly forty-five minutes gone, the artificial lighting had taken over, flagging the spot where she needed to be.
Which way?To her left, where most of the restaurants and bars sat, people milled about, taking selfies, eating churros, carrying cranky toddlers.She turned right, jogged up the ramp past a busy seafood restaurant, and rounded the corner, passing a strolling couple, a grungy man tugging a rolling backpack covered in dirt, and a family of four with matching sunburns.
